From Outlines to Outcomes: Generative AI-assisted Marketing Content and Product Sales

Abstract

Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping marketing content creation, but its impact on consumer behavior across the marketing funnel remains unclear. We study the unexpected rollout of a GenAI-generated article outline program on a major shopping platform using a stacked difference-in-differences design and large language model-based analyses. Tracing the program’s impact along the content–search–sales funnel, we find GenAI outlines increase product sales by 9.4%, primarily by improving consumer search: the outlines stimulate queries that are more semantically aligned with article content and that span both focal and competing brands. The effect is driven mainly by information-focused cues (e.g., product, price, and brand information), pointing to a cognitive-elaboration rather than affective-immersion pathway of narrative persuasion. Gains are weaker for well-known brands, experience goods, and experienced creators, highlighting where GenAI adds the most value. As GenAI-assisted marketing become increasingly prevalent, our findings offer actionable design guidance for platforms deploying these technologies.